Monthly Archives: June 2012

During a special event at the First AME Church – Bethel, Congressman Charles B. Rangel and many guests greeted members of the congregation, To the church they deeply love in the house of God. He discussed issues about the elections, upcoming events and what’s going on in New York City. This program was a community town hall forum held to inform people about voting in the upcoming election.

The congregation applauded Congressman Charles Rangel as he arrived at the sanctuary of the church, He sat down and after he was able to get everyone’s attention, he talked about his re-election campaign for the election primary on Tuesday June the 26th, 2012. In addition, Joyce Johnson, Clyde Williams, and Robert J. Rodriguez are also running for election this Tuesday.

During his visit to the church, he talked about housing problems, health concerns, and crime in the community. He asked questions about what people thought is going on in the community, and he spoke about people who drink and party too much. The congressman also voiced criticisms of many news media and local newspapers that report negatively about the Obama administration and its handling of the economy. Charles Rangel said in a statement that “Many people may not like Obama, but they don’t like the company they keep”.

Finally, Mr. Rangel urged the congregation of the church to get out and vote on Tuesday, June the 26th, He also reminded young voters to make their voices heard; he emphasized. That this election is so important to this community and that its outcome could bring justice to the people of the congregation. He cautioned voters to choose wisely and select the candidate who is highly capable. When the community town hall forum ended, refreshments were served.

The people were on the streets of 110th street and 5th avenue to stop the massive police abuse of people of color and to end the city’s “Stop and Frisk” policy. It was a broad based movement with the support of the NAACP, Communities United for Police Reform and many other community leaders; they all marched to end needless loss the innocent lives of many people who are being victimized by the “Stop and Frisk” practice. Their goal was, once and for all, to show their unity and support and to try to make a difference in the New York neighborhood.

The “End Stop and Frisk March” kicks off with many people holding their posters, banners, and signs high. Some of the slogans that could be read were:“NYPD: Hands Off The Homeless!”, “NYPD: Hands Off Our Dads!”, “NYPD Keep Your Hands Off Me.”, There were also many others including the posters from the NAACP that read “Stop Racial Profiling End Stop & Frisk” at the front side of the banner, and in the back, the poster showed three well known faces of people who have been stopped and frisked by the NYPD police: their names were Trayvon Martin, Sean Bell and Amadou Diallo.

As the protesters kept on walking, many had refreshments and bottled water just to cool themselves from the summer heat, It was a silent march, and as they started to walk on 5th Avenue, there was reverence among the marchers. So they started walking downtown and there was some talking going on here and there as they began to enjoy a wonderful time being out there for a good cause.

The march route covered 31 blocks; once and a while, the marchers stopped because of traffic ahead, but otherwise they continued to their destination.

During that time they kept walking until they arrived at the block of 5th Avenue and 80th Street. At that point, some of marchers and onlookers began chanting, and they started to gather in the front of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, but some of the marchers and protesters signal to the chanters to hush because it was a silent march. Soon all the marchers continued on their way.